Tire-tightener



No. 6|0,958. Patented Sept. 20, |898..

S. E. BURKE.

TIRE TIGHTENER.

(Application filed Oct. 30, 1897.)

(N0 Model.)

H/TNESSES me Ncnms vrrzns cc. Mofo-urne.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

STEPHEN E. BURKE, OF EDON, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent'No. 610,958, dated September 20, 1898. Application filed October 30, 1897. Serial No. 656,868. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I', STEPHEN E. BURKE, citizen of the United States, residing at Edon, in the county of WVilliams and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improveinents in Tire-Tighteners 5 and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to tire-tighteners, and has for its object to provide a tightener which will possess great leverage; also, a tightener in which the weight to be lifted or the point at which the tightener will exert its force on the felly will be brought nearer to or farther from the fulcrum of the lever, according as the felly may be heavy or light or conditions otherwise be such as to require greater or less power in lifting the felly.

It has also for its object to provide a tightener in which the fulcrum end of the lever will rest upon the tire and the powerend of the lever will be at an opposite point above the tire, so as to enable the tightener to be quickly applied and detached and to be supported without detachment to either the hub or to the spokes.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the invention consistsin the construction and in the combination 'of parts hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be speciically deiined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, andin which v Figure 1 is a side viewof the tightener applied to awheel. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line x of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section on the line y y of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 is a section on the line c c of Fig. l. v

In the drawings the numeral l designates a lever of any suitable material and' which is preferably made concave or curved on its under face and which'betwee'n its endsat or about its central portion and'onr itstopface is provided with a series of steps or seats (indicated by the numerals 2, 3, and 4) and of which there may be any desired number, so

asto adjust a clevis or yoke 4 to be used in connection with the lever fto accommodate the yoke to the thickness of the felly around which the' yoke will pass and on which it will exert the force of the lever so as to lift the felly, in order that one or more washers may be placed around the spoke or spokes and next to the under side of the felly, so as to take up the space 4made'in tightening the tire.

It will be observed that the distance between the top and the bottom faces of the lever lis `less at the point where the step or seat 2 is located than at the point where the other steps or seats are located. This is for the purpose of enabling the clevis or yoke 4 to be placed at the point where the lever is the narrowest-4-A for instance, at the step orseat 2-so that there may be more space between the bottom of the clevis or yoke and the under face of the lever at such point, thus adjusting the clevis or yoke to the thickness of the felly, assuming the step or seat 2 to be located at a point to accommodatea felly of the greatest thickness ordinarily used. This also enables the power to be applied at a point nearest to the fulcrum of the lever l-that is, the point where the rear end of the lever rests upon the tire-and thus enables me to get increased leverage for the fellies of the greatest thickness, so that the saine may be more easily lifted by the lever. The clevis or yoke 4 has its two upper ends connected by the transverse pin 5, which is'adapted to lit removably in suitable holes made in the opposite members of the clevis, which pin, when the device is in operation, rests upon one of the steps or seats and againstwhichpin the lever pulls when power is applied to lift the felly. This pin, being removable, admits of the clevis being inserted beneath the felly and its opposite sides brought upward on opposite sides of the lever, after which the pin is inserted in place and the lever is ready to be operated.

The lever is operated by means of a screw 6, which passes through the forward end of the lever l, and its threads engage the threads of a burger nut 7 which iswfitted into a socket or recess 8, formed in the forward endof the lever 1, saidbur or nut ittingag'ainst angular sides ofthe recess in which it is placed, so that it will not turn, thus enabling the IOO screw when turned to force up or down the lever, so as to exert its force upon the clevis and yoke and through it upon the felly. The lower end of this screw is connected with a plate 9, adapted to fit over the tire and on opposite sides thereof, so as to hold the lever and screw against side movement. The lower end of the screw is preferably swiveled to this plate, so that the two parts will not become separated. It is preferred to insert the bur or nut 7 in place through the side of the lever into the cavity 8; but it may be otherwise placed in position.

I prefer to attach a metallic plate l0 to the under side of the lever at the point where the screw is applied, so as to protect the under side of the lever against unnecessary wear if it be made of wood.

The screw 6 is operated by means of a crank 11,which I have illustrated as made integral with the screw, as that is the preferred form; but it may be otherwise connected to the screw.

It will be observed that under the form of the device described the lever has its fulcrum upon the tire and the power is applied at the opposite end so as to bear upon the tire, thus enabling the lever to be applied to the outside of the felly or tire. It will also be observed that the clevis or yoke is adjustable lengthwise of the lever, so as to vary the leverage to suit different conditions and also so as to enable the clevis to fit fellies of different thicknesses.

So far as I am aware I am the iirst to devise a tire-tightener of such construction as will admit of its application in the manner described, the tire-tighteners heretofore made, so far as I have knowledge of the same, being so constructed that a portion of the same will bear either upon the hub of the wheel or else be attached to one of the spokes of the wheel. Under my construction the tightener is easier to apply and toadj ust to different positions on the felly, and the leverage is at such points so as to do no injury to either the hub or to the spokes. It also enables meto get a greater leverage than would be obtained by other constructions of which I have knowledge and also admits of varying the leverage by shifting the point of connection between the clevis or yoke and the lever, so that when the device is applied to the heavier'fellies increased leverage can be obtained.

I have illustrated and described with partieularity what I consider to be the preferred details of construction; but changes can be :made therein without departing from the essential features of the invention.

I-Iaving described my invention and set forth it merits what I claim isl. In a tire-tightener, a lever adapted to extend lengthwise of the tire and to have its fulcrum on the tire to one side of the weight or member to be lifted and the power end of the lever at the opposite side of said point, means to pass beneath the felly and connect the lever thereto, and means connected with the lever and pressing against the tire for lifting the power end of the lever, substantially' as and for the purposes described.

2. In a tire-tightener, the combination of a lever extending lengthwise of the tire and having its fulcrum to one side of the weight or member to be lifted, means applied to the opposite end of the lever for lifting the same and adapted to bear against the tire, and a yoke or clevis adapted to pass beneath the felly and having a part thereof resting on top of the lever, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a tire-tightener, the combination of a lever adapted to bear at one point against the tire, power-applying means connected to the opposite end of the lever and adapted to press against the tire, and a yoke or clevis adjustable lengthwise of the lever and adapted to pass beneath the felly, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a tire-tightener, the combination of a lever of varying thicknesses between its ends adapted to bear at one point against the tire, power-applying means connected to the opposite end of the lever and adapted to press against the tire, and a clevis or yoke adjustable lengthwise of the lever and adapted to pass beneath the felly, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. In a tire-tightener, the combination of a lever adapted to bear at one point against the tire and formed on its upper side with stepped seats, power-applyin g means connected to one end of the lever and adapted to press against the tire, and a yoke or clevis adapted to pass beneath the felly and at its upper end provided with means to iit in the different seats, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. In a tire-tightener, the combination with a lever, of a yoke or clevis iitted to the lever between its opposite ends and adapted to pass beneath the felly, means applied to one end of the lever to one side of the clevis for applying the power, and means to prevent that end of the lever slipping sidewise, substan tially as and for the purposes described.

7. In a tire-tightener, the combination with a lever, of a yoke or clevis fitted thereto and adapted to pass beneath the felly, and an operating-screw applied to one end of the lever and adapted to bear upon the tire to adjust the lever, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. In a tire-tightener, the combination with a lever, of a yoke or clevis iitted thereto and adapted to pass beneath the felly, a bur or nut connected to one end of the lever, and an adjusting-screw working in said bur or nut and adapted to bear upon the tire to adjust the lever, substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. In a tire-tightener, the combination with a lever, of a yoke or clevis iitted thereto and adapted to pass beneath the felly, an adjust- IOO IIO

power end of the lever, and an adjustingscrew operating in said bur and adapted to bear upon the tire to operate the lever, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN E. BURKE.

Witnesses:

I. N. KINTNER, JOHN MARK. 

